Sitting on an estate still under construction, the homes in Ermine Street had external walls torn out, leaving debris littering their gardens. A turquoise digger stood beside the devastation.

McCarthy and Stone said owners were due to move into the unoccupied bungalows within weeks.

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Hertfordshire Constabulary said officers arrested a man at the scene after being called at about 5.40pm on Saturday.

The Romanian national living in Athelstone Road, Harrow, north-west London, was not employed directly by McCarthy and Stone and was instead working for sub-contractor Fenton, the McCarthy and Stone spokeswoman said.

“We are now awaiting a structural engineer’s report, so we can plan the work required to repair or rebuild these properties,” she added.

“We are absolutely devastated for the purchasers affected and our priority is to continue to stay in close contact with them and their families, and to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum.”

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Neagu, who spoke in court only to give his particulars and state his desire not to enter a plea yet, was charged with one count of criminal damage to the value of £4m on five houses belonging to McCarthy and Stone.